WHIMSY . WONDER . JOY IN ALL THE SIMPLE THINGS . a @barefacedgirl blogazine
twinkles issue twenty16 no.3
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“happy, happy christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!� @charlesdickens
linquant
(n.) glittering, especially with tinsel; decked with garish finery.
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o you remember when the christmas edition of the jcpenney and montgomery ward catalogs were about the size of a family bible? when I was a little girl, I knew christmas was just around the corner when dad would hand us these “sacred books” along with pencil and a piece of paper. i still remember the smell of new ink when i turned each shiny, crisp page. santa informed each of us, five kids, that we could pick out five gifts—and we would receive the three that he had in stock. so, I sat on the couch for hours discovering all the newest and cutting edge tech toys of the season— merlin, simon, and the rubik’s cube.
my fave photo of my brother ken as “little gestapo”
but I never knew for sure which of the gifts on my list would be under the tree, until christmas morning when we were released from our rooms. mom would be cooking up the pancakes and bacon while dad orchestrated the official december 25th audio tape recording i still remember one special year when I finally received my dream present—the kind of dream present that any 7-year old girl of my generation would be lucky to receive dream present. i ran into the front room to see a little upright wood piano tucked right in front of the christmas tree—the kind with hammered bells instead of hammered strings. as you can see by the christmas day picture on the left, every time i sat behind that wooden 1-foot upright console to play a chopsticks, i sucked in my cheeks to improve my concentration. i may not have mastered chopsticks yet, but i’ve incorporated this essential life skill into my creative brainstorm sessions.
i have no idea why i was pulling this face, but it must have been painful.
no matter what stories fill your life in the day-to-day, i pray that the wonder, joy and love you feel this christmas is just as thick and heavy as a lifetime supply of 80s jcpenney christmas catalogs and priceless compared to all the contents within. irl
acedg f e r a b @
a @barefacedgirl blogazine
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summer twenty16 4
the only thing that is as cozy as the warmth of a stocking-strung fireplace is the warm your heart glow of holiday flicks combined with a mug of hot cocoa—extra mallow-y. in homage to the season, i asked my #barefaced friends to share their heart-hugging movie quotables of the season: jeanette’s fave: “Faith is believing even when commons sense tells you not to.” — Fred Gailey, “Miracle on 34th Street” adam’s fave: “We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup.” -Buddy, “ELF”
surprised.” —Clark Griswold, “Christmas Vacation” tari’s fave: Charlie: “Neil doesn’t believe in Santa.” Scott: “Well, Neil’s head comes to a point.” — “The Santa Clause” paul’s fave: “It’s Christmas Eve. It’s the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, we smile a little easier, we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year we are the people that we always hoped we would be.” — Frank Cross, “Scrooged”
lisa’s fave: “Strange, isn’t it? Each shannon’s fave: man’s life touches so many oth“Bright light. Bright light.” er lives. When he isn’t around —Gizmo, “Gremlins” he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”—Charlie, “It’s A Wonderful Life” lisa’s fave “What if Christmas, he marti’s fave: thought, doesn’t come from a “If I woke up tomorrow store. What if Christmas, perwith my head sewn to the haps, means a little bit more.” carpet, I wouldn’t be more — “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” a @barefacedgirl blogazine
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spring twenty16 15
barefacedgirl.com
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In 201 birth o realize dedica self-ta new p
Accor is a co I can a post As ful little g mana challe get cr
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hing brings a holiday together quite like the lovely le of swirly sugar frosted cake...lots and lots of And Yili Brown gets to bring the celebration days a year as the owner/head artist at U.K.-based y Starry Delights (@StarryDelights).
12, Yili started baking off and on following the of her second daughter. At the time she didn’t e her hobby would soon turn into a passionate ation to the art of sugar sculpting, a mostly aught skill that develops further with every project she takes on.
rding to Yili, “The cake world ompletely different world... find inspiration in anything — tcard, a cartoon, a story, a dress. ll-time mum to three beautiful girls, late nights and time agement are always a bit enging, but I love the job as lets me reative and keeps my mind busy.” a @barefacedgirl blogazine a @barefacedgirl blogazine
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pets-n-swag
DIGS— rock hill, south carolina PEEPS—janet & michael mendenall
My name is Abby. I’m an eight-yearold long-haired mini-dachshund. I am a diva and princess of the house! I love to snuggle and take long naps with mom. I even let her and daddy sleep in the big bed with me every night! I enjoy car rides, treats, and traveling to visit my grandpa and brother, Oscar, in Florida. We have lots of fun together!
@barefacedgirl’s
epic gifts
A
of the season
Executive Mini Sandbox
$12.99 from begoodcompany.com
DJ Cat Scratching Pad $35 from uncommongoods.com
The Original Barbarian Pillager Knit Beard Hat $ 39.99 from beardhead.com
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nevergrow Star Wars Tauntaun Sleeping Bag $149.99 from thinkgeek.com
Yodelling Bacon $13.99 from gaggifts.com
Air Swimmers Remote Control Flying Shark $ 43.40 from wmctoys.com
Adult Size Big Wheel Drift Trike $694.99 from highrollerusa.com
“I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.� @bernard manning a @barefacedgirl blogazine
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c re a t i ve stretch
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#barefacedcreative’s approach to
artjournaling
hunt to find an image (or multiple images) that inspires me. it helps that I have my iphone to catch random inspiration that intersects my path throughout the day. i do my best to use photos that are either free stock images or ones my friends have given me permission to use this is an example of one that I found recently licensed “free for commercial use.” ORGANIZE IT as I collect these random inspiration photos like the clock above, I keep it organized on a pinterest “secret board.”
JOURNAL IT
this is my favorite way to do creative under each inspiration picture i reflection. pin on pinterest, HUNT IT DOWN i will type a few words that come i go on a photo or art scavenger to mind. i might spring twenty16 twinkles issue twenty16 14 12 14
crystal marks photography-all rights reserved.
even begin writing a title or a single line of a poem. i put down anything my heart connects with that image. it may not be a complete thought or make total sense, but it’s all fuel for the final reflection.
you can use photoshop or smart phone apps like enlight to do let the random thoughts simmer this kind of composite. for a day or two. and ... this is the most important part: come most importantly, when do art back to it before the end of the journal reflections like this, i week. market to myself. that’s right, i only do it for me. it’s ok if no For example, I did one of my one else understands it and it’s journal reflections based on this ok if no one else likes it or sees beautiful photo of a clock in wa- mistakes. and i’m ok vith that ter I found on pixabay.com. (i just love @comfreak photogra- because the more sparks of phy... amazing. creativity you release to the wind, the more that it will 3. after I had written the jourbubble over joy and ideas into nal entry, i did the composition other parts of your day. of the art reflection utilizing the element of the clock and other find more reflections on my items of personal meaning. insta @barefacedgirl a @barefacedgirl blogazine
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searching for color and texture and how it pulls together has become my hobby and everyday addiction of sorts. #barefacednotes
lovelies A
just a few beautiful things
Q
uerencia
(n.) a place where one’s strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place you can be your most authentic self. “I dream of lost vocabularies that might express some of what we no longer can.” @jackgilbert #TheGreatFires
“That beautiful place where story and paint collide... give me coffee and the shade of canvas and let me wait there...” @barefacedgirl
elliot’s latte paint & puddles original created by eric squires three crowns coffee— warsaw, indiana
wpe r B cemdple Syru i p S keoyon Bay Sliow) o m S A Tablesp recipe be Smoke 1
( d Liqui presso e h s a 1 D uble Es ng coffe Do es stro k unc ed Mil o 2 r o e bay Steam n i b g com oke, and . u m e vorit Liquid Sm ilk to top a f r u In yo le syr up, steamed m simpsso. Add espre Syr up e l p im r Bay S up Suga r 1C Wate es p u C 1 Leav y a B il in aay 4-8 o b o t ugar er. Add b s. s d n ter a to simm 5 minute 2 a w g Brin en reduce mer for 1 l keep for l pot thes and simSyr up wi dge. leav to cool. in the fri Allow weeks
bags beans
disney.com
inspired by—
pete’s dragon #petesdragonquotables “I’ll be your candle on the water. This flame inside of me will grow. Keep holding on you’ll make it. Here’s my hand so take it. Look for me reaching out to show. As sure as the river flows I’ll never let you go.”
ERIC SQUIRES is general manager and head roaster for Three Crowns Coffee in Warsaw, Indiana, a forward thinking coffee shop and roaster. He is also a coffee correspondent for Perfect Daily Grind. His love of coffee began in high school and continues to grow. He is always looking for new ways to enjoy coffee with his wife, Leilani, and soon to be big brother Micah.
a @barefacedgirl blogazine
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A
utotelic
(n./adj.) a person who is rewarded by the deeper inner rewards of creativity, immersion and flow. the barefaced heart -
i love planting blooms and smiles wherever i roam, barefoot & barefaced embracing raw life and simple good. my paint & puddles sporatic blogazine is dedicated to those who love to throw paint on the wall & find beauty in wherever it falls. for those with the heart to create, just for the love of creating. i want to feather my nest there. this is the space where the magic and miracle collide.
philippians 4:8
about @barefacedgirl-
Amber Weigand-Buckley is editor & art director of the awardwinning Leading Hearts magazine (leadinghearts.com). She has been in the mag-making business for over 20 years. In her full-time she is wife to her Brit-native Philip & mum to 3 inspiring creatives: Saffron (Soof), Imogen (Moose) & Penelope (Pen-Pen) as well as social media manager & communications support for many non-profits and missionaries.